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Tag Archives: New Releases

“Inform the commander that Lord Vader’s shuttle has arrived.”
–Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Fantasy Flight Games have announced a new wave of models for X-Wing Miniatures Games which will, in their words, forever redefine the game. These four – apparently – game changing vessels include the Lambda-class Shuttle, HWK-290 (made famous by the Dark Forces games), the B-Wing bomber, and the TIE Bomber.

It’s such a cool game, albeit an expensive one, and the new models churning out of FFG is only make it more so. First a Correllian Corvette, and now the HWK-290. So. Much. Want.

Fantasy Flight has this to say:

New Dimensions of Play

The game’s flexible squad building rules ensure that every X-Wing expansion introduces a wealth of tactical options, but these four new starship expansions take your squad building options to a new, all-time high!

When the X-Wing Core Set was released in tandem with the first four starfighter expansions, competitive players quickly learned how to optimize their strategies by partnering ships and pilots that gained power as they flew together in close formation. The next four starship expansions, which included the Millennium Falcon™ and Slave I™, blasted the larger metagame wide open. These large, powerful ships functioned just as well flying on their own as they did while flying in formation, and they promoted a versatility and diversity within the game that was reflected at every level, from casual play to the game’s Regional Championship season to the recent North American Championship tournament at Gen Con Indy 2013.

Now, the Lambda-class shuttle, HWK-290, B-wing, and TIE bomber bolster the game with powerful support strategies, control tactics, and highly customizable weapons platforms.

The Expanding Universe

These four new expansions not only include the first starship from the Star Wars expanded universe (the HWK-290), but they strengthen one of the greatest and fastest-growing miniatures games currently available.

The game’s increasing diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and we saw it grow by leaps and bounds as the first two waves of expansions added fantastic squad-building options. Each new starship expansion enhances the game’s flexibility with new miniatures, ship cards, and upgrades, meaning that you gain a wide range of options to build the squad that best suits your personality and play style.

System upgrades like the Advanced Sensors greatly enhance your starship’s utility in combat.

Accordingly, we saw more than eighty X-Wing players show up for the sold-out North American Championship tournament at Gen Con Indy 2013, fielding dozens of distinct squad and competitive archetypes, and we expect to see even more players and even more diversity at the FFG World Championship Weekend in November.

Make the Jump to Hyperspeed

The Lambda-class Shuttle, HWK-290, B-Wing, and TIE Bomber Expansion Packs have just dropped out of lightspeed, so the best time to get your hands on these hot X-Wing expansions is right now.

It’s been quite a while since I reviewed the X-Wing game. And one of the things I wanted to see was bigger ships as I wasn’t sure how much replay value there would be in just dog fights. Well ask and thou shall receive. Fantasy Flight Games have announced that bigger vessels will be added starting with the Rebel Transport and the Corellian Corvette.

This short video from Team Covenant shows off exactly how gorgeous these models are. Why do I get the feeling I’m about to start playing another game system…

Snapped a while back at the Forge World Open Day, the Space Marine Glaive is now available to pre-order and due for release on the 28th June. Interestingly it was originally called the Fellglaive but the ‘fell’ part of the name has been dropped.

Anyway, here’s the blurb from the Forge World website and some jazzy snaps. The Glaive retails at £155.

The Glaive Super-heavy Special Weapons Tank is a variant of the Fellblade. Armed with a Volkite Carronade, it is designed to destroy xenos beasts and incinerate enemy light vehicles at a single sweep.

While the Glaive has been issued to all eighteen Legiones Astartes in limited quantities, the Salamanders and Dark Angels have long been noted to field Glaives as a matter of course; the XVIIIth Legion’s artifice is more than sufficient to maintain and replicate the arcane Volkite technology, while the provenance and honour of the Ist Legion means that their war matériel and weaponry are ancient indeed.

It’s been a long time since I had anything to say about Spartan Games. I almost put fingers to keyboard when I saw them releasing a range of HDF scenery for 28mm sci-fi games when they don’t have a 28mm sci-fi game. It’s yet another knee-jerk, ‘hey wouldn’t it be cool if’ idea from a company that is becoming increasingly scattergun and increasingly expensive. That’s not to say it isn’t cool, but sets for Dystopian Legions is perhaps a more logical way to go, I would have thought.

But moving on to something more positive. Coming out at the end of July are two new factions for Firestorm Armada. The Hawker Industries fleet and Works Raptor fleet. Both say Alliance on them but I’m not sure whether that means Terran Alliance, Alliance of Kurak or the Zenian League, although Hawker Industries definitely fall into one of the first two. But I tell you what; I don’t care because they look amazing. It’s the first time since I got my Terran Alliance fleet at Christmas that I’ve really felt drawn to anything from Spartan. The £45 price tag is a little steep mind considering 18 months ago starter fleets were £33. Although, providing they don’t go up any more, I’ll not rant too much about it.

Anyway, feast your eyes on these…

Hawker Industries Alliance Fleet

As conflict in the Storm Zone intensifies, Hawker Industries readies its famously reliable vessels for front-line service once again. From the mighty Excelsior to the hardy Endeavour, these tenacious hulls are now outfitted with new shielding technology, state-of-the-art sensor arrays and devastating weapons systems. Emerging from space-docks across the galaxy, they stand ready to remind the Zenian foe that Hawker is still a name to be feared.

Works Raptor Alliance Fleet

The name Works Raptor has long been synonymous with arms design and manufacture. Single-minded in their pursuit of the science of war, the vessels of the Works Raptor fleet are uncompromisingly lethal. Utilising unmatched stealth systems and powerful drive engines the Attrition Class Assault Carrier will always deliver its payload of Space Craft Wings, deadly torpedoes and elite, genetically engineered boarding marines into the enemy’s heart. In turn the Interdictor Cruisers and Tyranny Corvettes sow chaos through their fleet, dissecting their prey whilst evading retaliation with ease.

Two of the teams for Dreadball Season 2 have finally been put up on the Mantic website.

First up we have the Corporation Void Sirens…

The Void Sirens are one of the better-known all-female teams with a long and illustrious history. They have, at one time or another, beaten most of the top teams, and they are always worth watching on the tri-vid. The roster relies on their Jacks and their training focus on Running Interference. This, together with an extensive additional coaching schedule, enables them to react swiftly to opposing plays, and makes the Sirens very tricky to predict. Any offensive drive needs to punch a much bigger hole than usual to guarantee a way past the Siren’s nimble Jacks.

Next the Judwan Pelgar Mystics…

The Judwan are a placid, calm and peaceful race and the tiny number of Judwanese teams play an odd game of DreadBall. They have neither Guards nor Jacks and never try to damage their opponents; they simply outplay them. A Judwan Striker needs no glove to catch or throw the ball, instead using his long, lithe arms and slender fingers to launch the ball with as much or more speed as other races. Their games are fast and often surprising, with a tendency to end suddenly in a 7-point landslide.

Well another new release and another set of shoddy photos taken by someone who got their hands on a White Dwarf before anyone else.

I did actually spot these at around 3am whilst trying to get the baby to settle but I didn’t think the wife would appreciate me pausing to blog about it…

This time it’s the Tau and huzzah, some new models. However, my worst fears have been realised; the Crisis Suits and Fire Warriors have not been replaced. So the two main units of the army remain dated and uninspiring which is an absolute crime. The Pathfinders and the Broadsides have had an update though.

The Riptide, yes it does say £50, is a fucking great mech, so that’s a win. A big one. With big guns.